


In Loving Memory

by PorcelainLove



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Death of a loved one - many years after the fact, Friendship, Gen, Gladio POV, Introspection, M/M, Sibling Love, mild Gladnis
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-24
Updated: 2018-04-24
Packaged: 2019-04-27 09:03:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,418
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14422041
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PorcelainLove/pseuds/PorcelainLove
Summary: With the combination of happiness and sadness that was Iris's birthday, Gladio knew he had to try hard to make this year's gift extra special.  Ignis, Noctis, and Prompto offered their full support.With everyone's help, this would be one event that none of them would soon forget.





	In Loving Memory

**Author's Note:**

> So I actually came up with this idea many, many months ago and mentioned it to a few people on discord. Someone (whose name I seem to have forgotten because I'm senile) said they wouldn't mind running with the idea. Therefore it is entirely possible that a fic like this exists already and if so, I swear I'm not plagiarizing! :O 
> 
> If I do get complaints I will take this story down, no worries or harm done. But until that time... enjoy!
> 
> ALSO! I don't know if I need to TW this since it does deal with the death of a parent (in this case, Lady Amicitia) and so if anyone is uncomfortable with this subject I apologize.

It began with a simple request.

“Ignis, I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t important.”  Even those simple words passing through Gladio’s lips didn’t seem to impart the correct amount of desperation required.  Gladio tried again.

“Iggy, please, I really need your help.”

There was silence on the other end of the line and Gladio briefly took his phone away from his ear to check that it was still connected.  Ignis’s name was bolded across the glowing screen: yup, definitely not a dropped call.

Gladio waited another minute before he tried again.  His mouth opened just enough to let out a breath before Ignis interrupted him.

“Gladio, I… I’m sure not it’s my place.  This seems like a family affair and I would hate to intrude.”  Ignis sounded different over the phone. More… monotone and less friendly.  What Gladio wouldn’t give to have the man standing in front of him right now.

Scratch that, Gladio could feel the tears pricking at his eyelids.  If there was one thing Gladio never wanted anyone to see him do, it was cry.

“Please?”  Gladio wasn’t above pleading, especially in this case.  He decided he needed to keep speaking, explain everything again, anything to keep his mind occupied enough so he wouldn’t drown in his own sadness.  That wouldn’t help anyone, least of all his family. “My dad’s a tough guy but he’s useless right now. This kinda thing isn’t… isn’t easy on any of us.”

There was a whoosh of air from the other line and Gladio could almost picture Ignis.  The man was probably in his nightwear, ready for bed. He’d have his glasses off and was likely rubbing his nose where the nose pads from his glasses made their little divots.

“Asking me to help procure a birthday present for Iris is one thing, but lie to her?  And on such a meaningful day? I am quite sure that no one on Eos would be strong enough to accomplish such a task - and I am including the legendary Blademaster in my assumptions.”

“It’s not lying!” Gladio spoke quickly, and a little too loudly.  He mentally shushed himself even though he knew that Iris wouldn’t be able to hear him and Ignis through his closed bedroom door.  “It’s just… a white lie. Not even! An insinuation. It would… help, I think. Mean a lot to Iris  _ and _ me.”

“Gladio, you literally just said it was a lie.” Ignis chided and Gladio could feel the admonishment in his tone like a cold mist on a hot day.  It was unpleasant and… okay, maybe what Gladio deserved but he was willing to accept all of Ignis’s angered judgement if it meant the man would help him.

“Look Iggy, I know I’m not the world’s best brother - I know that before anyone else.  But this is way out of my expertise. Iris’s birthday is a difficult time for us all, every year the double meaning hangs over my family like a dull cloud of misery.  Honestly, I was okay with the parties and the celebrations even though I knew that everyone was only faking being as happy as they were. But this year’s different.” Gladio’s voice cracked and he rapidly blinked to stall the tears that were totally not blurring his vision.

“But Iris is turning ten and that means it’s been a decade since mom…” Gladio bit his lip, still not quite wanting to say the words.  Eventually he continued.

“And this is the first time Iris has actually wanted to visit her grave  _ on _ her birthday.  How is this not a special event?  And she wants you and Noct there along with our us.  I think her exact words were ‘ _ I want mom to meet my new family’ _ .  So with the double pressure of turning ten and knowing that she lived while our mom died, can you blame me for wanting to do something to make Iris happy?”

“...No, I suppose not.  I understand. And I am truly sorry, Gladio.  If there’s anything else I can do--”

“You can help!” Gladio said, suddenly and intensely wanting to end the call now, whether or not he had Ignis’s okay.  He bit his tongue with all his might, hoping that bit of pain would help him last until he heard the silence of an ended call.

“...I will.  I promise. You have my word.  I… I’ll text you tomorrow and we can meet to discuss provisions.”

“Works for me.  Later.” Gladio knew his voice was gruffer than he intended and although he wanted to apologize for acting like an ass, he hoped Ignis would understand without needing to be told.

“Goodnight.”  There was a click as the line went dead.

Gladio let himself cry for all of 5 minutes before he put on his game-face and went next door to Iris’s room.  She’d been pestering him all week to watch a movie with him - some silly animated movie about a baby cactuar that thought it was a lot stronger than it actually was.  Gladio thought it paralleled him quickly nicely at the moment.

The both of them fell asleep before the end credits rolled, popcorn in their hair and smiles on their faces.

 

xxx

 

Ignis made good on his promise.

Gladio awoke to a text message sitting patiently in his inbox requesting Gladio’s presence at the diner between their two homes at his earliest convenience.  After rolling off Iris’s bed and stumbling back into his room, Gladio gave Ignis (and himself) three hours until they had to meet.

He fell asleep as soon as his thumb pressed the send button.

When he awoke, refreshed and energized, he had just enough time to poke his head into Iris’s room and startle her awake (couldn’t act too nice and give away his grand plan) before dashing out.  He got to the diner with a few minutes to spare and was surprised to see Prompto and Noctis sitting with Ignis.

Gladio raised an eyebrow as he sat down and checked his back pocket once more to ensure he’d brought his wallet.  It was amazing how often the two younger members of their foursome forgot to bring theirs when food was involved.

“So…” He began, easing his way into a booth and signalling the kitchen staff that he was ready to order.  They knew him, not by name, but by sight. But he was an impressive figure and ate like the behemoth he was so he usually consumed a lot more than the average customer.  

It looked like everyone else had already put in their requests because the waitress only nodded at them before jotting down what Gladio told her.

He liked the waitress.  He knew her name (Gloria), and the name of her husband (Ernesto), and that she had twin boys.  He knew that she’d moved to Insomnia from a small village and that she preferred the hustle and bustle of the city to the calmness of the country.  She only ever worked the morning shift so she could always be sure to pick up her boys from school.

She was a robust woman of, if Gladio had to guess, around 40.  Her twins ran her ragged but she doted on them with all the grace of someone who knew if she didn’t teach them right from wrong, no one would.  Gladio always made sure to leave a good tip, especially around the holidays.

She was the only person who called him ‘honey’ and didn’t get a grimace in return.  Gladio got a real kick out of saying hello with a good old ‘ _ Morning Glory” _ (because he was a child at heart) and flower names… you either loved them or grew to hate them.  

He liked to think his mom would have liked Gloria too.

“Ignis called us up and explained the sitch.” Prompto said.  “Just tell us what you need us to do and it’s done.”

“For sure.” Noctis agreed and gently kicked Gladio’s ankle with his foot.  It was basically a love tap and Gladio was sad to admit that even if Noctis used his full strength it probably wouldn’t have hurt.  Boy really needed to focus more on his training than his fun times with Prompto.

“Thanks guys.” Gladio let out his first smile of the day and his friends were hard-pressed not to return it full-force.  Even Ignis, stoic as he was, relaxed and stared into Gladio’s eyes with a fondness that had only recently been getting more and more common.

Gladio wasn’t sure what that meant but he felt it was significant.

The group settled into pleasant but forgettable conversation until their food arrived.  With a chorus of  _ thank you _ and an amiable expression in return (from a waitress who knew good people when she saw them), everyone dug in.  Conversation slowed to a halt until most of the food had been consumed and only after Gladio had drained the last of his drink did he actually explain his plan in more detail.

“Iris never knew our mom, in case you didn’t know.”  He directed this towards Prompto because Noctis and Ignis had met Gladio’s mother more than a few times in their youth. “She died from complications from childbirth just a few hours after Iris was born.”

Prompto’s usually chipper face was solemn and serious.  

Gladio continued. “Usually Iris has a party on her birthday and then we - her, me, and dad - go to visit her grave within a few days after.  This year… is a big one. Ten whole years without mom…” Gladio stopped speaking for a moment and was thankful when no one pressed for him to continue.  She’d died so long ago it seemed like a different age but that didn’t mean talking about her around this time of year wasn’t difficult.

“Iris wanted to forgo a party this year and just… have a day celebrating mom.  It’ll just be the three of us for that. After though we’ll all be going to say hello, and Iris wants you there.  And… even though no one blames her for what happened, I kind of think Iris blames herself. I mean, it’s obvious she does to a point even if she doesn’t really acknowledge it yet.”

Gladio stretched out his arms to either side of his plate and placed his palms flat on the table.  The wood was cool.

“I wanted to, you know, set something up like… have an iris blooming at the gravestone when we arrived, you know? It’s not really a plant that’s indigenous to this particular area, not outside of a greenhouse, but I thought it might seem like… mom was sending a message to Iris that everything was okay?  Obviously it wouldn’t be mom, but us. And no one would be getting hurt… I hope. I mean, even if Iris figured out it was my idea I don’t think she’d say anything at all. We fight but she knows I care about her and want her to be happy.”

“So,” Ignis began gently as he lay his own hand atop one of Gladio’s. “Your idea is that we douse an iris shoot, or seed, with something and time it so that it begins to bloom the moment Iris arrives at the grave?”

“Yeah, exactly. Or even get her to plant it and have it bloom after?  Whatever seems more meaningful, like it came from the beyond.  _ A flower for my flower _ , something like that.”

“Why not just plant a bunch of irises around the grave and get Iris to sprinkle something on them so they grow in front of her eyes?” Noctis suggested.

Gladio shook his head. Paused.  Nodded. And then shook his head again.

“That was my initial idea but I just… I just wanted something to seem like it was from  _ mom _ , you know? Supernatural but loving. …It’s a stupid idea, we should just go with your idea, Noct. I’m no good at thinking with all these emotions running amok in my skull.”

Gladio hung his head and squeezed his eyes shut.  It was true, he wasn’t the best at containing his emotions - aside from anger pretty much nothing came out the way he intended.  He felt warmth cover his remaining hand and looked up to see both Noct and Prompto gripping his hand - now a fist - tightly.

“I have an idea.  I’ve been following a scientist online who is experimenting with coating the roots of a plant with an elixir-infused gel.  That would give us the ability to plant it and then have it bloom before Iris’s very eyes, without her ever suspecting. There is also a chance that the curative could react with the coloration of the flower, which has been theorized but not proven yet.  However,” And Ignis’s voice lowered an octave. “I do not agree with your plan of lying about something like this. If Iris questions it…” He let his words drift off.

“Yeah, I got it.  Unless she asks I’ll let her think whatever she wants.  Magic, lucky plant, gift from the Gods, cheesy older brother…”

“I’ve stayed at your house before, remember?” Noct piped up. “You’re not the only Amicitia with a big heart.  Remember your dad and that kitten with the broken foot? Wouldn’t let you or Jared touch the poor little gal, wanted to nurse her back to health by himself.”

Heh, yeah, Gladio did remember that.  His old man cared so much about the cat that Gladio even got glared down when he tried to voice his frustration at his shoes being used as an alternative form of litter box.

Desire to protect ran deep in the Amicitia line.  His mother, although not born an Amicitia, had a firm hand in shaping Gladio into the man he was. Obviously.

“Anyway,” Gladio titled his head as if to tip out all the intruding thoughts that didn’t pertain to this exact situation. “Tomorrow is the big day.  I know it’s short notice but Iris sprang this on pops and me at the last minute too. Do you think you guys can make some time? Iris will understand if you can’t, of course, but it would mean a lot to her.  And… me.” He finished lamely.

“Tomorrow at… 4:00, correct?” Ignis asked, his cell phone already in his hand and finger paused over the calendar button.

“Yeah, 4.  How did you know?”

Ignis shrugged, the rippling motion pulling his shirt across his chest.  Gladio’s eye caught on a top button threatening to pull itself loose until Ignis noticed the gaze and fixed it.  His lips quirked into a tiny smile like he knew something Gladio didn’t know.

But Gladio was just distracted.  Nothing more than that.

Gladio let Ignis’s comment slide, it didn’t matter how he knew, just that he’d be there. That they’d all be there.  Besides, maybe he’d heard something in passing - the King probably knew by now too. 

“Alrighty then, so we’re all good?  I’ve got to get going now, thanks again Ignis, and Prompto you too.”

“Hey, what about me?” Noct asked with only a hint of disappointment at being left out.

“ _ We _ have a training session planned for today, I was planning on thanking you by going a little easier on you than normal.  Unless you’d rather just a verbal affirmation of my appreciation…” Gladio knew he was smirking but he just couldn’t help himself.  He dug his wallet out as the Prince stumbled over his words in an attempt to alleviate Gladio’s concern on the matter.

Gladio placed a handful of bills on the receipt Gloria had left, almost double what he owed.  And with a reminder (to Prompto more so than Ignis) to  _ ‘don’t forget to tip your waitress’ _ he winked at the lady behind the counter and sauntered out of the diner.  An eager to please Noctis followed closely behind.

 

xxx

 

The next day came quickly. It seemed like in no time at all between Iris waking up and everyone wishing her happy birthday, to Jared pulling the car around and the Amicitias piling in to head off to the cemetery.

Gladio understood that his mother was always a free spirit and never liked feeling confined - which must have been torture because her husband’s whole self-being was tied to a duty he could never escape even if he’d wanted to.  Therefore, although there was a headstone and a small square below it in which the family never stood (for fear of trodding on the Lady Amicitia), her body had actually been cremated.

Clarus had said his words to Iris and to his wife before moving back to give Gladio and his sister some more space.  He likely knew Ignis would be arriving with Noct and Prompto soon and didn’t want them to see how sad he looked.

Iris… well, she was a tough bird.  She was all smiles, although strained to be sure, and was chattering away to her mother’s grave - telling her stories of this and that, things that had happened to her since the last time they’d ‘spoken’.

Gladio let Iris’s small voice wash over him, set in his bones and relax into his core.  He felt sad and numb but also less emotion than he was expecting to feel. His mother was long gone and he’d cried many a river for her in the past.  It seemed almost rude of him not to spare at least one tear.

Slowly he let his mind draw him back.

His mother had been beautiful.  Most people say that about their parents, sure, but his mother actually had been.  His father maintained that’s how Gladio and Iris came out looking so well. ‘ _ Not my genes!’ _ he’d joke when he was feeling talkative.

She’d always loved greenery, and actually started up her own little greenhouse behind their mansion.  She grew everything from rare flowers to berries to hearty cactuses. Gladio’s memory of those was funny, actually.  

In the back corner, near the pots of seedlings and bags of earth, his mother had set up a tiny table with a single little cactus on it.  It was stout, not very tall, and although it was covered in prickles, also had a fine brush of what looked like white hair across the top.

In her distinctive cursive scrawl, she’d labelled the pot  _ Clarus _ .  It was one of her most prized possessions.  Gladio could clearly remember her misting it angrily after what must have been an argument with his father.  She’d held Gladio on her lap, face stony, as she watched the water droplets rest on the wispy hair and spines just hang there - suspended in time, almost.  Then she’d sighed and wiped off the excess water with a nearby cloth. Very, very gently. Lovingly. 

“ _ Not Clarus-tus’s fault. _ ” She’s explained before setting Gladio down and heading back into the house to talk to her husband.  

She was heavily pregnant by that point so Gladio guessed there was more than a little emotion being thrown about by both sides.

She’d gone into labour the next week and never got the chance to say a proper goodbye to her spike-baby.  She died in the hospital.

Over the years, Gladio had heard whispers from strangers and well-meaning acquaintances talking of the benefits to using curatives in healthcare.  On how such a senseless death was entirely avoidable. 

Fuck them and their good intentions.

Doctors tried.  Nurses tried. Heck, Gladio even put his hands together and prayed for the first time in his life, begging the Gods for their mercy.  If none of that helped, potions wouldn’t have either because, well, potions were dumb. Sure, in a pinch they were better than spending or weeks or months allowing your broken bones to heal on their own. Or getting that slice down your side to knit together.  But outside of A joining B, they were useless.

And in a vast network of delicate organs, interconnecting nerves and veins, and a whole lot of blood… you could end up fusing someone’s bowels to their lungs if you weren’t careful about the whole thing.  So advanced society or not, Insomnia did not, repeat,  _ did not _ use potions in hospitals.

Maybe if they had that minor bleed in his mom might have been fixed before they even knew it was there.  In a better world she would still be alive today.

But she wasn’t and that was that.  There was no sense in getting angry, not anymore.  Perhaps someone made a mistake, perhaps a sharp little baby fingernail had clipped something on the way out… Gladio didn’t know and he didn’t want to.

But he knew one thing for sure, it was not Iris’s fault and he had never,  _ never _ , thought it was.  He didn’t know how to articulate his thoughts sometimes so this side of him was rarely seen by others.

Instead of opening his mouth, he just hugged Iris a little tighter.  She wasn’t crying although she was sad.

It was a difficult thing, it had to be.  You knew you loved the person that died, knew they cared more about you being healthy than was good for them.  But you had never met said individual so… the person you loved and knew so much about was essentially a stranger.

It was a weird thought. Gladio wasn’t sure why he was thinking so hard about this when he just needed to be there for his sister.  But while he was a giant, he wasn’t stupid. There was a lot of introspection that went on behind the scenes that no one ever knew about.

Gladio was so lost in thought that he didn’t even notice that Ignis and the gang had arrived.  Prompto and Noctis held two enormous bouquets of flowers which they lay down beside where Iris had placed her own.  Ignis held a small green plant in his hands, the roots protected by a delicate wrapping of wet newspaper. Gladio couldn’t see any sheen of an elixir on the plant but he trusted Ignis enough to know that anything he’d ask for would be done.

“Guys!” Iris cried, a little louder than necessary considering they were all right beside her.  “Come meet my mom!” This time Iris’s happiness was not forced in the slightest and she grabbed Prompto and Noct by their hands and pulled them closer.  Gladio backed up to where Ignis was waiting and spoke to him in a low voice.

“Thank you for coming.”

“Our-  _ my _ pleasure.” Ignis replied and only let out a tiny gasp of surprise when he was enveloped in a great bear-hug by the suddenly teary-eyed Gladio.  The iris plant was safe, held in Ignis’s outstretched hand and Gladio used his opportunity to wiggle in even closer than he would have normally.

“It means so much.” Gladio’s voice was rough and his throat felt tight.  He wished he could open up his heart and show Ignis everything he felt - it would be so much less uncomfortable than his awkward stumbling and repetition.

“I’ll always be here when you need me, Gladio.”

“Promise?  This isn’t some white lie type of situation?”  Gladio teased, already knowing how Ignis would respond. He felt like he needed to lighten the moment, especially since Iris was laughing without a care in the world.  He’d do anything to keep that delight afloat.

“I would never.” Ignis sounded affronted.  

Gladio let Ignis go and backed away so Iris could finally notice the plant he came bearing as a gift.  Noctis had to nudge her a bit to redirect her attention. Prompto whispered something in her ear which brought a smile so wide that Gladio could have sworn he’d go blind.

“For me? From everyone? Thank you!”  Iris barrelled into Gladio, who caught her with no effort whatsoever (very used to his sister’s way of affection by this point) and soon let herself be led away by Ignis.

Ignis and Prompto pulled back a bit of grass and soil from beside the headstone and let Iris set the plant inside its new home.  Noct brought out some water from somewhere on his person and Iris gave her namesake some hydration.

They all stepped back and let Iris gape in awe as the iris rooted itself firmly into the ground and grew with a speed that couldn’t be matched by nature.  The stalk grew thicker and firmer and more leaves shot out. Soon a brilliant purple flower had formed, the outer petals mottled blue and yellow. It looked.. unique.  Gladio wondered if Ignis knew what colour it would be all along or if the elixir had indeed altered the flower’s genetic identity.

“Gladdy, omigosh,  _ look _ !” Iris was practically vibrating with joy.  

Gladio wasn’t sure if she just thought Noct’s water was magic or if she believed in the supernatural.  He didn’t care what she thought, in the end, as long as she was happy with whatever her conclusion was.  And yeah, if she ended up asking, he’d tell her what had happened. But somehow… he didn’t see her wanting to ruin her fantasy.

Gladio briefly glanced towards the car where Clarus and Jared were waiting, curious to see whether his father had noticed what they’d been doing.  He turned back when he heard a gasp - this time of shock. And then another and another in rapid succession. 

Wow.  Yeah, this was… amazing.  Unexpected but amazing.

“Ignis.” Gladio leaned over and whispered as he gazed in awe at the sight before him. “I thought we agreed on an iris only?”

“We did indeed.” Ignis said back, voice equally hushed. “This is not of our doing.”

“Gladdy, did you do this just for me?” Iris couldn’t contain her tears as she leapt into her brother’s arms and squeezed tight.  Her bony knees dug painfully into his sides but he couldn’t even fake annoyance. “They’re beautiful. What are they?”

It took Gladio a second or two to realize Iris had even asked him a question.  He couldn’t stop himself from looking at the sea of purples and blues and whites and pinks… So many of them spreading across the grass and between the neighbouring rocks and trees that it didn’t look wholly possibly.  It was only the pain from Iris’s awkward position that kept him from needing to pinch himself, see if he were awake or dreaming. 

“They’re called asters.”

“Asters…” Iris repeated with a slight furrow of her brow. “Isn’t that mom’s name?”

“Yeah…” Gladio said with a soft exhale.  He couldn’t stop a quiet laugh from bubbling up.

“It certainly is.”

**Author's Note:**

> Full disclosure, both of my parents are still alive so I have no first-hand knowledge of how someone who has lost a parent might feel. I sincerely hope no one is offended.
> 
> My love to you all.


End file.
